Colorado Launches “Drive High, Get a DUI” Television Ads

The Colorado Department of Transportation will roll out a series of condescending television ads this week aimed at keeping stoners from driving high. However, rather than encompassing the usual dramatic scare tactics, such as fiery auto crashes and white sheet scenes from the county morgue, this collection of sober marketing attempts to tickle the funny bone.

Upon watching the three public service announcements the state intends to use to promote its “Drive High, Get a DUI” campaign, it becomes refreshingly obvious that the spots were, for once, produced by creative members of stoned society, rather than by the usual law enforcement killjoy with a college minor in filmmaking.

Admittedly, while some of the more prudish marijuana connoisseurs may find these ads offensive and a blatant dig on stoner stereotypes, we simply cannot help but find them amusing.

For example, one ad depicts a man trying to ignite a gas grill, only to discover, after many failed attempts, there is no propane tank attached. With a group of bewildered dinner guests looking on in disbelief, the words “Grilling high is now legal… Driving to get the propane you forgot isn’t,” appears across the screen.

Amy Ford, a representative for CDOT, says the new campaign hopes to deliver the message that contrary to public opinion, driving high does not make an individual a better driver. "We heard repeatedly that people thought marijuana didn't impact their driving ability, and some believed it actually made them a better driver," she said.

Ford says the goal of the campaign is not to discourage people from getting high, only to keep them off the roadways once they do. "We certainly are trying to be humorous, but we also wanted to drive home the point that it's certainly legal to use marijuana in Colorado, but it's not legal to get behind the wheel and drive.”

Colorado will reportedly spend in the neighborhood of $500,000 on the “Drive High, Get a DUI” campaign, considerably more than the $325,000 the state currently spends on ads to deter drinking and driving.

Mike Adams writes for stoners and smut enthusiasts in HIGH TIMES, Playboy’s The Smoking Jacket and Hustler Magazine. You can follow him on Twitter @adamssoup and on Facebook/mikeadams73.

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